[comp.graphics] Help choosing a flat bed scanner...

danielg@uncmed.med.unc.edu (01/30/91)

First of all, my apologies for sending a test message ahead first.  I have
had trouble cross posting in the past, and wanted to be sure before I
typed in a long article.  Got many 'kind' flames concerning my test, plus
a short but sweet letter from my sys.admin telling me of my netiquette
breach - there are correct ways of doing these things :-}.  

We are about to purchase a b/w flatbed scanner for scanning in images
(line drawings and some photos) for use with Freelance+, and perhaps First
Choice and Illustrator.  We desire to spend <$1500, and might consider a
color scanner if the price is right (<$2000).  The latest comparison I
could find was in PCMag Mar 28,1989.  From this article (good one) I came
up with 3 finalists.  They are:

	HP SCANJET
		- $1990, fully fit to go
		- runs under windows with 'Scanning Gallery'
		- supports .MSP .PCX .IMG .TIF file formats 

	DATACOPY 730GS (XEROX)
		- $2690
		- 16 *or* 64 greys
		- supports .IMG .PCX .TIF formats

	CHINON DS-3000
		- $995 (wow!)
		- has overhead reader (shadows are a problem)
		- .PCX format only? not sure.

Will be running on a 386-33 machine.  Output device will be HPIII laser
printer.  Anyone have any experience with the above machines, or can
suggest another?  I'm sure the prices must be lower now.  A couple of
color scanners caught my eye:

	EPSON ES-300C
		- $2500 as of May 1990
		- supports .TIF .TGA .EPS .PCX. MSP .IMG  but not .GIF(?)
		  or .BMP (Windows paint prg) file formats
		- article says that it only supports 4 printers (Epson
	          LQ-860, LQ-2500, HP PaintJet, HP3630).  How can it
		  support all of the above file formats but not be able to
		  print?  I thought it was the printer's job to be able to
		  print certain types of formats.  Or is it the
		  software's?  And if it is, if the Epson software can't
		  handle it, perhaps the application that I am using to
		  manipulate the image can.  Can someone clear this up for
		  me?  Thanks.

	PANASONIC FX-RS307U
		- $2000 as of May 1990
		- .TIF or .PCX formats

All advice appreciated.  Please email, will post summary if there is
interest.

dan

===========================================================================
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huis@testeng1.misemi (Stephen Hui) (01/31/91)

How about "The Complete PC Flatbed Scanner" ? I bought one last month and it
works great. It is a 256 Gray Scale Scanner and it will support color with the 
extra software for "Picture Publisher". The only disadvantage is "Picture Publisher" saves image file in TIFF only. May be some other software will work with
the scanner. I'm able to scan and then fax out with "The PC Fax Card (Communicator)". This scanner is compatible with HP Page Scanner.

I hope this scanner will work for you.

Stephen

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Stephen Hui                     uunet!mitel!testeng1!huis
Mitel Corporation               Tel: (613) 592-5660 X4959
Kanata, Ontario, CANADA         Fax: (613) 592-4784

v105mahs@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Peter P Donohue) (02/01/91)

In article <2430@beguine.UUCP>, danielg@uncmed.med.unc.edu writes...
>We are about to purchase a b/w flatbed scanner for scanning in images
>(line drawings and some photos) for use with Freelance+, and perhaps First
>Choice and Illustrator.  We desire to spend <$1500, and might consider a
>color scanner if the price is right (<$2000).  The latest comparison I
>could find was in PCMag Mar 28,1989.  From this article (good one) I came
>up with 3 finalists.  They are:
> 
>	HP SCANJET
>		- $1990, fully fit to go
>		- runs under windows with 'Scanning Gallery'
>		- supports .MSP .PCX .IMG .TIF file formats 

   I've done some work with an HP desktop scanner (not sure if it was
a Scanjet).  It ran an older version of Scanning Gallery (one that 
ran under Windows v2).  It would scan the pictures in to .TIF and 
provided some export capability (though I use Hijaak for any serious
graphic format conversion).  It has a nice option of letting you do 
some simple editing (like clipping off borders) of the pictures that 
you have scanned.  I have had no complaints (other than it only
being a BW scanner).

>  .. on Epson's color scanner...
>		- article says that it only supports 4 printers (Epson
>	          LQ-860, LQ-2500, HP PaintJet, HP3630).  How can it
>		  support all of the above file formats but not be able to
>		  print?  I thought it was the printer's job to be able to
>		  print certain types of formats.  Or is it the
>		  software's?  And if it is, if the Epson software can't
>		  handle it, perhaps the application that I am using to
>		  manipulate the image can.  Can someone clear this up for
>		  me?  Thanks.

    The scanner's job is to scan the pictures.  Once you scan the pictures 
in, you can convert them (whether through the software provided with the 
scanner or something like Hijaak) to a format useable by your software.
I've never printed anything with the scanner's software.  I always import
it into Ventura to print (which is where I will be printing final copies
from).
    Good luck.

						Pete

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter P. Donohue - University at Buffalo, Graduate School of Management
bitnet:   V105MAHS@UBVMS                  .  "Education is a journey
internet: V105MAHS@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU   .    not a destination..."

randy@chinet.chi.il.us (Randy Suess) (02/02/91)

]  .. on Epson's color scanner...
]		- article says that it only supports 4 printers (Epson
]	          LQ-860, LQ-2500, HP PaintJet, HP3630).  How can it
]		  support all of the above file formats but not be able to
]		  print?  

	I have one.  It can act as a color copier, with no computer
	involved.  Plug one of the above printers directly into its
	serial or parallel port, and while scanning a color picture
	in, it will print it out on the printer at the same time.
		The scanner comes with a bunch of nice software, most
	of which do a great job on color scanning with many options
	for type of color, output formats, etc.
	Local price with PC interface is less than $1400.



-- 
Randy Suess
randy@chinet.chi.il.us